Ankle decisions — 2022

The Board has decided that the Veteran's left ankle disability warrants a 20 percent rating, but has remanded the issue of his lumbar spine disability for further examination and consideration.

The Board has remanded the claims for Meniere's disease, sinusitis/rhinitis, tinnitus, bilateral ankle disability, and bilateral foot disability due to additional development being necessary.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of various conditions, including a low back disability and bilateral ankle condition, has been granted with an effective date set at November 15, 1978.

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for a left ankle disorder due to additional development being necessary.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee, right knee, and right ankle disabilities. The evidence is in approximate balance that these conditions began in service or are related to service.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for left ankle disability, right medial epicondylitis, skin disability and right ankle disability, as well as his earlier effective date claims. The Board also dismissed his appeal seeking service connection for bilateral hearing loss and acquired psychiatric disability. The Board remanded several issues including service connection for sleep apnea, increased ratings for right knee and ankle disabilities, and an increase in rating for right ulnar neuropathy.

The Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are not service-connected as they do not meet the criteria for VA purposes. The right and left ankle disabilities have been remanded due to inadequate examination.,Service connection is granted for tinnitus, with a finding that it is related to in-service noise exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral lower extremity cold weather injury residuals, but the case is remanded for further development related to the TDIU claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's appeal should be re-docketed under the Legacy system and his March 2019 VA Form 10182 is accepted as a timely NOD for the issues on appeal. The Veteran must file a VA Form 9 substantive appeal to perfect his appeal.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disability and a right ankle disability, finding that the evidence did not support a nexus to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left ear hearing loss, left ankle disorder, and bilateral foot disorder due to insufficient examination reports. The VA audiologist is instructed to provide opinions on whether these conditions were caused by military acoustic trauma or in-service exposure to cold weather.

The Veteran's left shoulder and upper arm disability is rated at 20 percent, which does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,The Veteran's right leg and ankle disability is rated at 10 percent, which also does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The appeal for residuals of a bruised kidney was dismissed. The claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, depression, right hip disorder, left hip disorder, right ankle disorder, and left ankle disorder were remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to insufficient medical evidence regarding her in-service and post-service treatment. The AOJ is instructed to obtain relevant records from Moncrief Army Community Hospital and Dr. A.A.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to service connection for left knee disability, right knee disability, right ankle disability, and left ankle disability. The Veteran's digestive disability is granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to incomplete development, including obtaining private treatment records and conducting a VA examination for his ankle disabilities. The Veteran is also advised that he may need to provide additional information or releases to obtain certain medical records.

The Veteran's left ankle disability is granted as aggravated by his service, and he has radiculopathy of the lower extremities secondary to a service-connected lumbar spine disability. However, his migraines prior to March 30, 2021 are not rated higher than noncompensable.,The Veteran's left ankle arthritis is granted as aggravated by service, but his migraines and radiculopathy of the lower extremities secondary to a service-connected lumbar spine disability are granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, left Achilles' tendinitis, and major depressive disorder have been remanded due to the submission of new evidence.,An initial evaluation in excess of 50 percent for major depressive disorder has been denied as the symptoms do not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals on all issues related to service connection for various conditions and increased ratings. The appeal is dismissed.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to issues with his right and left knee disorders, right ankle disorders, low back disorder, and chest pain condition. The claims are inextricably intertwined as they all relate to the same period of active service.